The murder of Nikki for dowry is not an aberration but a symptom of the deeper rot of patriarchy, greed, and gender inequality that we have yet to confront
It may not be a national issue but it should be. We may be reaching for the stars in science and technology, but when it comes to our respect for women and sensibilities towards them, we remain stuck in the patriarchal mindset and conservative thinking. The gruesome murder of 26-year-old Nikki in Greater Noida is a case in point. Burnt alive by her husband and in-laws for dowry sum of Rs 36 Lakhs and for daring to assert her independence, Nikki’s death is not just another “crime” but a mirror held up to our society. It reflects an ugly truth — that even in 2025, in an India aspiring to be a global power, women continue to be reduced to bargaining chips in households.
Nikki’s story is harrowing but tragically familiar. Married into a family where neither her husband nor brother-in-law worked, she was constantly harassed for dowry. That very act of independence — running her business and refusing to be confined by patriarchal diktats — became one of the triggers for her brutal death.
The worst part is that patriarchy is so deep-rooted in society that the husband, arrested after an encounter, showed no sense of remorse. As a society, we must feel ashamed. Not just because a young woman’s life was extinguished in such a barbaric way, but because Nikki is not an isolated case.
The National Crime Records Bureau reports thousands of dowry deaths every year, and countless more cases of harassment go unreported due to stigma, fear, or social pressure. It might not be getting the headlines and coverage it deserves, but dowry deaths are still rampant and, unfortunately, our sensibilities towards them are lacking.
We are still living in a society where extortion and domestic violence are normalised under the veil of traditions and customs. Marriage, instead of being a partnership of mutual support, is often viewed as a transaction. Patriarchy thrives when women’s autonomy — whether in opening a beauty parlour or simply living on their own terms — is seen as a threat.
The larger issue at stake is gender equality. Laws exist — against dowry, against domestic violence, for women’s property and financial rights — but their enforcement remains weak, and societal attitudes remain regressive. Equality cannot be legislated alone; it must be cultivated as a social ethic, taught in schools, reinforced in families, and demanded in workplaces.
And as citizens, we must shed our complacency — stop dismissing such crimes as “domestic matters” and instead recognise them as what they truly are: Acts of murder rooted in systemic misogyny.
Nikki’s death should haunt us. It should force us to ask why, in a country that celebrates its daughters as goddesses during festivals, those very daughters are being burnt alive in their homes.
